Garret Fitzgerald very ill in hospital

darkman2

Garret Fitzgerald, former Taoiseach, is reported to be seriously ill in hospital according to Newstalk.:(

http://www.newstalk.ie//2011/news/garret-fitzgerald-seriously-ill-in-hospital/

This is very sad news altogether. Hope he makes a recovery.

hotmail.com

It'll be interesting to see if RTE cover this news.

P_1

Bad news, hope he pulls through.

One of the best Taoisigh of this country.

Lapin

Hope he makes a full recovery.

oppenheimer1

pithater1 wrote: »

Bad news, hope he pulls through.

One of the best Taoisigh of this country.

Really?

nesf

Terrible news, I hope he gets better soon.

nesf

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Really?

Let's not turn this into a debate about his legacy but keep it to well wishes please.

efb

An excellent statesman, I wouldn't say an excellent taoiseach.

hotmail.com

nesf wrote: »

Let's not turn this into a debate about his legacy but keep it to well wishes please.

Sure what's the point in that.

Isn't his time as Taoiseach allowed to be judged?

irishh_bob

as yet , the only taoiseach labour have had

Maglight

irishh_bob wrote: »

as yet , the only taoiseach labour have had

Heh? He's Fine Gael

hotmail.com

Maglight wrote: »

Heh? He's Fine Gael

It's a joke...Garret pursued a social policy that was more Labour than FG.

nesf

hotmail.com wrote: »

Sure what's the point in that.

Isn't his time as Taoiseach allowed to be judged?

There's a time and place, a thread about someone being very ill in hospital is not the place to criticise them. Feel free to start another thread about it though if you want.

hotmail.com

nesf wrote: »

There's a time and place, a thread about someone being very ill in hospital is not the place to criticise them. Feel free to start another thread about it though if you want.

I wasn't going to criticise or praise him, but I don't see how doing that is insensitive. He was a former leader, a public figure, so I think don't see the insensitive argument in this case.

Edit. Wikipedia is incorrectly saying that he has died.

nesf

hotmail.com wrote: »

I wasn't going to criticise or praise him, but I don't see how doing that is insensitive. He was a former leader, a public figure, so I think don't see the insensitive argument in this case.

Edit. Wikipedia is incorrectly saying that he has died.

It's not up for debate.

Callan57

Very sorry to hear he's ill ... one of the very few honorable politicians since the foundation of the State. Sincerely hope he gets well.

hotmail.com

nesf wrote: »

It's not up for debate.

Thanks.

PeterIanStaker

hotmail.com wrote: »

I wasn't going to criticise or praise him, but I don't see how doing that is insensitive. He was a former leader, a public figure, so I think don't see the insensitive argument in this case.

Edit. Wikipedia is incorrectly saying that he has died.

Thats been taken down now.

Macha

My thoughts are with him and his family.

maringo

Hope this great old former Taoiseach makes a good recovery. I always thought he did his best and I think that's all you can ask of a person.

jonsnow

Terrible news.He was truly inspirational.I certainly don,t agree with everything he believed but the man was a national institution.He has been a national political player for generations,he dragged Ireland into the 20th century (or at least tried his best to), he fought the good fight against Haughey and for a man of his age to still be such a sharp and important opinion former is impressive.Hope he pulls through and I read many more of his columns.

iora_rua

A decent, honest and nice man - can't say all of that about too many in Irish politics, unfortunately. Best wishes and hope he pulls through.

DeVore

A little decorum please people.


The mods and I went to Brussels there a while ago as you might remember and Mr Fitzgerald was on the trip too, as a journalist for the IT. He was astonishing, genuinely amazing. At his age (84?) he still has a razor sharp intellect and a capacity to debate better then most I have heard. His memory was crystal clear and still had a sense of joy in life. Quite honestly one of the most reaffirming experiences I've had. His legacy will be decided in time, but his personal integrity, intellect and charisma are exceptional.

I dearly hope he returns to good health.

DeV.

Cicero

Bought his original biography in early 1990s - one of the best reads documenting politics in the 60s- 80s....his pluralistic ideals for Ireland laid the groundwork for peace on this Island as we know it today.

Best wishes Garret for a speedy recovery.....:)

KingEnda

Hope he is up and well soon. The country needs his insight

Sand

Cicero wrote: »

his pluralistic ideals for Ireland laid the groundwork for peace on this Island as we know it today.

His legacy as a leader of this country is for another thread.

Hopefully he will make a full recovery.

gandalf

Fingers crossed that Garret pulls through, the man is an absolute Gent.

migemo

Just heard this sad news. Great man and a great leader. We could do with his like these days. I wish him well.

dan719

Why is there no mention of this anywhere on RTE? Am I missing a back story here?

hotmail.com

dan719 wrote: »

Why is there no mention of this anywhere on RTE? Am I missing a back story here?

They usually just report the news of the death of a former Taoiseach or President, rather than reporting the illness leading up to the death. It was Newstalk that broke this story. Your health is seen as a private matter and RTE respects that - unlike in America where they regularly mention health news about former presidents and first ladys there.

dan719

hotmail.com wrote: »

They usually just report the news of the death of a former Taoiseach or President, rather than reporting the illness leading up to the death. It was Newstalk that broke this story. Your health is seen as a private matter and RTE respects that - unlike in America where they regularly mention health news about former presidents and first ladys there.

Thanks for that. I'd almost convinced myself that RTE and Garrett had an almighty falling out back in the day that I somehow had never heard of.

Kojak

Hope he gets better soon. He was a bit before my time, but he always seems to be clued into what is happening re. politics - even when he was on RTE's coverage of the general election. It was fair going for a man of 85 (i think)

RDM_83 again

nesf wrote: »

There's a time and place, a thread about someone being very ill in hospital is not the place to criticise them. Feel free to start another thread about it though if you want.

Mehhhh wants the point in having a thread about this? surely it would be easier saying G.Fitzgerald is seriously ill in hospital, he was great. Lock it and then allow everybody else who feels the same to put a thanks on it.

On my own thoughts not often I agree with Varadkar but aside from that hope an old man (85) gets better.

KingEnda

RTE are talking about this now so cannt be good for Garret. Hope he recovers soon

Denerick

A true champion of Irish Liberalism, did more to open up this country to the modern world than any other Irish politician, possibly since Daniel O'Connell.

Hope he survives. A man of rare intelligence, character and integrity.

Lemming

Sad to hear of this, and I hope he recovers soon. An absolute gent of a man.

dlofnep

I wish him a speedy recovery.

Oasis_Dublin

Only saw him around election time on Vincent Browne and he seemed in decent health for someone of his age. Sad news, hope he makes a full recovery.

sdanseo

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

Only saw him around election time on Vincent Browne and he seemed in decent health for someone of his age. Sad news, hope he makes a full recovery.

Was thinking the same. Hope he gets well soon. Not particuarly a fan, but when you served that many years ago it becomes somewhat irrelevant what his policies were.

dermo88

Its a shame really. Garrett is a good, genuinely honest politician, which is a rarity. He inherited a rotten mess from that ba$tard Haughey. I hope he recovers, because he is one of the architects of the liberal change that dragged Ireland kicking and screaming into the 20th century.